Improved apparatus for condensing oil-vapors



, J. W. WETMORE. APPARATUS FOR GONDENSING OIL VAPOR.

Patented Sept. 15, 1863 v 7255 Whams ma i 66 M U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.IQWQWETMORE, or ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING OIL-VAPORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39.978, dated September 15, 1863.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, I. W. WETMQRE, of Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement on Oil-Vapor Condensers. I call the improved condenser the Corrugated- Plate Double Current Siphon Condenser. And my invention consists in double upward flowing currents of water through shallow chambers above and below the condensing and cooling surfaces; the propulsion of these currents on the principle of the siphon; the corrugation by transverse ridges of the upper metalfplate; angular cross-ridges or plain breaks in the upper part of the upper waterchamber; cross-ridges in the vapor-chamber, with horizontal doors to allow the oil to pass, while they throw the vapor against the upper condensing-surface, and the adaptation of water and steam jets to this formv ofcondenser;

and I do hereby declare that the following is a clear, full, and'exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, makinga part of this specification, in which- Figure I is a perspective view. Fig. II is a vertical longitudinal section through 40'" or; Fig. III, a vertical cross-section through 2 z,- Fig. IV, a vertical cross section through yy; Fig. V, a-view of the under side of sprinkler c, Fig. IV; Fig. VI, a longitudinal section through steam-pipe G, Fig. I.

A, Fig. I, is the body of the condenser, composed of concentric boxes. The outer one is a common wooden box from seven to sixteen feet long, one and one-half to three feet wide, and about one and one-half foot high, set on aplane inclined from six to twelve inches. The inner box has wooden sides and ends about two inches thick, fitting to thesides and ends of the outer box and fastened to them by 1 screws from the outside. The top and bottom of the inner-box are of sheet metal, and there are water-chambers two or three inches deep between them and the top and bottom of the outer box. The vapor-condensing chamber is between the metal plates.

B, Fig. I, is the water-supply pipe.

L, M, N, and 0, Fig. I,- are stop-cocks.

C, Fig. I, is the water-discharge pipe, from two to ten feet longer than B.

P and Q, Fig. I, are connections of the dischargepipe with the water-chambers.

M and N are connections of the supply-pipe with the water-chambers; w and c, Fig. I, stop-cocks.

D, Fig.- I, is the pond or tank of water.

E, Fig. I, is the air-pump. There may be to this a small water-discharge pipe, w, Fig. IV.

.F, Fig. I, is the vapor-supply pipe.

G, Fig. I, is the steam or water pipe, onehalf to one inch in diameter. 7

H, Fig. I, is the water-pipe, one-half inch in diameter.

I II, &c., Fig. I, are stop-cooks to draw the water from the depressions of the upper condensing-surface. This water may be drained by slight channels between the inner and outer plank of the same side, as from i to i t, Fig. II. I I I, &c., would then be omitted.

J, Fig. I, is the gas-pipe to carry off gas and uncondensed vapors.

K, Fig. I, is the'oil-discharge pipe.

S S, Fig. II, is a sheet-metal condensingsurface, one and one-half to three feet wide, corrugated to fit the steps-of the'sides of the inner box, S T, and fastened watertight over its sides and ends.

T T, Fig. II, is the lower.v condensing or cooling surface, fastened as in the last case, and forming the bottom of the inner box. The edges are turned up, as represented in Figs. III and IV, to prevent the oil from passing out if the plate be not closely fastened. The lower end may be turned up in the same way.

a b b c, &c., Fig. II, represent a crosssection of ridges which rest on cleats nailed to the insideof the inner box. The purpose of these is, first, to throw the vapor against the cooling-surface and break its direct current outward to thevapor-discharge pipe, and, second, to cause the oil to drain ott' as soon as condensed and leave the metal surface exposed to the vapor. They are placed, at first from one and one-half to three inches from the metal ridges and from one-fourth to an inch at the lower end.

. e d, &c., Fig. II, are horizontal doors to check the vapor and allow the oil to flow under them.

d, Fig. II, is the hinge, of cotton drilling, nailed onto a b and e d across their entire length.

B, Fig. II, is the retort or still.

it, &c., Fig. II, are openings of I I, &c., Fig. I, into the water-chamber.

at, Fig. I, is an end view of a small waterbox, made of sheet metal. It rests on cleats mac, Fig. II. Its face down the condenser oward r is represented by '0, Fig. IV. Its under side;is representedby F'g. V. Its supply-pipe is H, Fig. IV, the end of which is seen in u, Fig. II. The water comes from a head a few feet above. This sprinkler may be below the entrance of the vapor-pipe, and so arranged as to throw the water-spray upward into-the vapor,toward"S,Fig. II.

9 h j, &c., Fig. II, are ridges of boards inverted and resting on cleats on the inside of the inner box. These throw the current of water against the metal plate and remove the warm water sooner than it would rise by the action of heat. Instead of these angular pieces, single pieces may be 'used extending from the top down as far as the line h.

T and S, Fig. III, and T andS, Fig. IV, are cross-sections of water-chambers. v

I, Fig. III, is the gas-discharge pipe.

K is the oil-discharge pipe.

0' 0, Fig. III, represent the longitudinal section of the water-sup ply pipe,-made of wood or iron, with a bore of about two inches.

M N,-'Fig. III, are stop-cocks to regulate the supply of water from the supply-pipe to, the water-chambers.

y and 0, Fig. III, are stop-cocks. y is to. be closed and 0' opened when there is a supply of water higher than the condenser; oth-.

. erwise O is kept closed, except when the condenser is operatedas a siphon-condenser, and it is opened to admit the air and discharge the "water.

. and I?" Q, Fig. IV, represent the longitudinal section of the discharge-pipe and its connections with the water chambers. These are made of wood'or iron;

v E, Fig. IV, is a section of air-pux'np. (Not properly in this figure.)

v Fig. IV, and w, Fig, IV and Fig. I, are stop-cocks. There will be a stop-cock in w, Fig. IV, to drain the waterfromthe air-pump.

The operation is as follows: 0, Fig. III, is extended to a pond of water having a few feet of head above 0, Fig. IV. C is extended to a drain forwaste water. Steampipe G and water-pipe H, Fig. I, are closed. Stop-cocks '11), Fig. IV, and M N y, Figl III, are opened, and-O, Fig. IILand r, Fig. IV, are closed.

'The air is exhausted at E, Fig. IV, when the water. rises in pipe 0 0, Fig. III, passes through M 'andN. up the-water chambers n p and m g, Fig. II, and and down 0 O".to 22, Fig. IV. Then close stopcock w and open 1;, Fig. IV, and the water will continue to flow. The current through the condenser, being entirely separate, may be checked to any extent in either chamber while it flows through the other. In running heavy oil thisdevice is especially useful, as the upper condensing.-

surface may be kept cold by a full current of water, while thelower is at such a tempera- 1 ture as to keep the oil flowing. The vapor passing into the condenser from the vapor-- pipe will pass up and down the zigzag passages a b c, 820., Fig. II, to S, and the residuum out of the gaspipe I, Fig. III. The oil will run down from the condensing-surface and breaks a b b c, &c., Fig. II, pass under the doors e d,--&c., along the cooling-plate T .-T', and out of theoil discharge pipe. 'The passage of the water up through shallowwaterchambers and its discharge at the upper end of the condenser operate to throw out the hottest of the water without mixing it with the fresh cold water, and thus diniinishes'the amount required and increases its effect in condensing. The application of the principle of the siphon enables the refiner to locate his condenser higher and nearer to the still, and thus secure the early condensation of the vapor without increasing the power required for raising the wafer. A steam-jet may be admitted into the vapor-pipe through the steam-pipe G, Fig. II, or a jet of pure water may be driven down this pipe from a rose at I, Fig. II. The'water from the under side of at, Fig. II, may be made to fall on the vapor as it emerges from the vapor-pipe. The water in this case is also thrown out of the front side, av,,Fig. II, which is represented by 'v',

- Fig. IV. This supply of water for this small water-chamber maybe a chemical solution, so as to treat the oil on vapor. The velocity of the water from Z, Fig. II, and the. sudden condensation would lessen the pressure on the oil in It, Fig. II, and facilitate evaporation. The object of the steam-jet is the Same.

Instead of the air-pump, a force-pump mayv he used at O, Fi III, or water may be admitted at 0', Fig. III, to fill the condenser.

\Vhat Isclaim as my invention, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The separateupward-flowiugcurrents above and below the vaponchamber.

'2. The propulsion of these currents on the principle of the siphon. Y

3. The corrugation of the upper condensingsurface.

4. The breaks of wooden angles and doors.

in the vapor-chamber. r

5. The sprinkler i), Fig. IV, all substantially asset forth, for the purposes specified; I. W. WETMORE.

Witnesses:

' E. OAMPHAUSEN,

WM. BREWSTER. 

